Wednesday, April 22, 2009

My friend the UndergroundPewster did an interesting posting on "Christian Maintenance" in which the subject of losing, finding, and maintaining our first love, that love for God, was the primary theme. Our love can never match His, nor can our words ever hope to express this love. Of all the hymns that might relate to this notion, this is the first that came to mind.

"The King of love my Shepherd is,Whose goodness faileth never;I nothing lack if I am his,And he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flowMy ransomed soul he leadeth,And, where the verdant pastures grow,With food celestial feedeth

And so through all the length of daysThy goodness faileth never:Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praiseWithin thy house for ever."

Sir Henry Williams Baker 1821-1877

"Baker was the son of Vice Ad­mir­al Hen­ry Lo­raine Bak­er. He at­tend­ed Trin­i­ty Coll­ege at Cam­bridge, was or­dained in 1844, and be­came as­sist­ant cur­ate at Great Hock­es­ley, near Col­ches­ter, Es­sex. In 1851, he be­came Vic­ar of Monk­land Pri­ory Church in Here­ford­shire, Eng­land, where he served most of his life. Up­on his fa­ther’s death in 1859, Bak­er as­sumed the fam­i­ly bar­o­net­cy. From 1860 to 1877, he was ed­it­or-in-chief of the An­gl­ican Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, and con­tri­but­ed hymns, tunes, and trans­la­tions. This his­tor­ic hym­nal sold 60 mil­lion co­pies."

I bind unto myself today the strong Name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever, by power of faith, Christ's Incarnation; his baptism in the Jordan river; his death on cross for my salvation; his bursting from the spiced tomb; his riding up he heavenly way; his coming at the day of doom: I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power of the great love of cherubim; the sweet "Well done" in judgement hour; the service of the seraphim; confessors' faith, apostles' word, the patriarchs' prayers, the prophets' scrolls; all good deeds done unto the Lord, and purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today the virtues of the starlit heaven, the glorious sun's life-giving ray, the whiteness of the moon at even, the flashing of the lightning free, the whirling wind's tempestuous shocks, the stable earth, the deep salt sea, around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead, his eye to watch, his might to stay, his ear to hearken to my need; the wisdom of my God to teach, his hand to guide, his shield to ward; the word of God to give me speech, his heavenly host to be my guard.

[Against the demon snares of sin, the vice that gives temptation force, the natural lusts that war within, the hostile men that mar my course; of few or many, far or nigh, in every place, and in all hours against their fierce hostility, I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles, against false words of heresy, against the knowledge that defiles against the heart's idolatry, against the wizard's evil craft, against the death-wound and the burning the choking wave and poisoned shaft, protect me, Christ, till thy returning.]

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name, the strong Name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three. Of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit, Word: praise to the Lord of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord.

A more literal translation, by Kuno Meyer, is the following:

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgement of Doom.

I arise today Through the strength of the love of the Cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of the resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In prediction of prophets, In preaching of apostles, In faith of confessors, In innocence of holy virgins, In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today Through the strength of heaven; Light of sun, Radiance of moon, Splendour of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of wind, Depth of sea, Stability of earth, Firmness of rock.

[From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From every one who shall wish me ill, Afar and anear, Alone and in a multitude. I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,

Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of women and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today Against poising, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So there come to me abundance of reward.]

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me, Christ in the eye of every one who sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness Of the Creator of Creation.

Followers

Wallace Hartley

Contributors

A Call to Worship and ObedienceO come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.